1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a heat-sensitive recording material, and in particular to, a heat-sensitive recording material that has high sensitivity and excellent background fogging resistance, image preservability, background lightfastness, chemical resistance and inkjet printability.
2. Description of the Related Art
Heat-sensitive recording materials are widely used because they are relatively inexpensive and capable of being processed in compact, maintenance-free recording apparatus. Sales of heat-sensitive recording paper have in recent times become highly competitive, and there is a demand to further increase the functions of heat-sensitive recording materials as discriminated from conventional functions. Thus, extensive research is being conducted with respect to color density and image preservability of heat-sensitive recording materials.
Conventionally, 2,2-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)propane (xe2x80x9cbisphenol Axe2x80x9d) has been widely used as the electron-receiving compound with respect to the electron-donating leuco-dye used in such heat-sensitive recording materials. However, heat-sensitive recording materials that are satisfactory in terms of sensitivity, background fogging resistance, image preservability, chemical resistance and sticking resistance have not yet been obtained.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a heat-sensitive recording material that has high sensitivity and excellent background fogging resistance, image preservability, background lightfastness, chemical resistance and inkjet printability.
The present inventors conducted exhaustive investigations into electron-donating leuco-dyes, electron-receiving compounds and UV absorbents to develop such a heat-sensitive recording material, and thus completed the present invention.
Specifically, the invention is a heat-sensitive recording material comprising a support having disposed thereon a heat-sensitive color-forming layer that includes an electron-donating leuco-dye, an electron-receiving compound and an UV absorbent, wherein the layer contains 4-hydroxybenzenesulfonanilide as the electron-receiving compound.